Seed planter



Dec. .14

` v AL610,'767 W. GOURLAY 1 SEED PLANTER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 24, 1924 Dec. 14 1926.

W. GOURLAY y SEED PLANTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 24, 1924 INVENTOR.

W////5'/77 60g/Va] 5y 1 .Y

ATT R YS Patented @en le, l926.

WILLIAM GO'RLAY, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

SEED PLANTER.

.Application filed November 2li, 1924. Serial No. 751,736.

This invention is a planter for seeds and is particularly intended `for the planting of corn. The object of the invention is to provide a seeder that can be clamped to the leg of a farmer and which is so constituted that as the farmer walks along a row and his weight is brought to bear upon the device at every other step, the device will function 'to deposit a predetermined number of seeds below the surface of the ground and will thereupon cover said seeds, so that further attention in the planting of the seeds by the farmer is not required.

Ehe apparatus of the present invention embodies many novel features calculated to expedite planting and eliminate inuch of the tiresome work incident thereto under present methods. Among these novel fea tures, though not the exclusive ones, may he mentioned the following. First, a corn planter comprising substantially wedge vshaped construction embodying cooperating hinged jaws adapted to be forced by the weight of the farmer into the ground for depth appropriaterto good planting, and which jaws are adapted, after reaching theV desired depth, to be manually opened to allow of the depositing of seeds into the ground cavity thus formed.

Second, automatic means associated with an apparatus of this character and constructed to automatically fill in the cavity7 and cover the seeds as the jaws are removed when the operator taires the nent step.

rl"iird, novel and efficient means for sucvel'y feeding a predetermined number seeds or corn kernels from a suitable hopnii-th, means to inn cdiately notify the in the event the planter fails to deposit the seeds whereby the op vill not continue to operate the plantfit fais to function. i, means for manually controlling the dei ding of the seeds through a control ci' the opening of the jaws which are prefl il in closed position until such it is desired to release the seeds. Features ot the invention, other than those red, will be apparent from the herein- @the accon'ipanying drawings illustrate one fr, er detailed description and claims, when j practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as deiining the limits of the invention.

Figure l is an elevation showing the planter in operative position on the leg of an operator.A

Figure 2 is a. vertical section illustrating the parts as shown in Figure l, i. e., in nonplanting position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but sthowing and,

Figure lshows the planting jaws in perspective.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a sheet metal. casing which is substantially wedgeshape and is provided with an open bottom. At one side of the casing is rigidly attached a. stirrup 2 with which straps 3 are associated in yorder that the casing may be firmly strapped to the leg as shown in Figure l. Operable within the casing and normally projecting through the open hot torn thereof are two aws /l and 5 which are shown best in Figure l of the drawings.v

'lhese jaws are preferably constructed of sheet metal and at their lateral edges have lic-nt up wings il and 5, respectively, which constitute the sides of the jaws. The wings 4a and 5a are perforated as shown at 6 and a rod l entends through these perforations and through slots 8, which extend vertically in the opposite sides ofthe casing. This rod serves a pivot for the two jaws and simultaneously mounts the aws for pivotal and sliding movement within the casing.

Adjacent the Vtop of the jaw t are laterally extending pins or trunnions 9 an-dsimilar pins or trunnions 10 are formed at the top of the jaw 5, all of these pins or trun nions being adapted to worli in slots ll formed in the side wall of the casing. As shown, the slots ll' extend generally in a vertical direction, but substantially the lower half of the said slots are curved out of the vertical so that when the jaws are recipro cated vertically with respect to the casing, the shaping of the slots 11 which coact lwith he trunnions 9 and 10 will cause the jaws to be automatically opened and closed. Y That the parts in planting position;

is to say, when the jawsare moved upwardly y into the casing', the trunnions 9 andi() will occupy the vertical portions of the slots 1l,

Vas shown in Figure 3 with the result that the Will be opened as shown in this ligure. lll/Then the jaws descend to their Y loiverinost positions, as shown in Figures 1 'Cil to the position shown in and 2, the tru'nnions 9 will traverse the curved portions ot the slots 11 and seat at the lov-ser ends thereof While the trunnions Will remain in the vertical portions of said slots. is a result, the trunnions 9 and 1U are no longer in vertical alinernent and the jaws losed as shown best in Figurel.

rr'llhe jaws 'are norinally locked in their loW- erinost position by in'eans oft a stud 12 carried by a leaf spring 13. T he leal spring is mounted on the outside of the casing and held in place thereon by a rivet 11 and norinally inipels the stud 12 in an inward direction through a hole in the casing. llhen the are in lowerinost position, thehole l5 in the jaw 5 registers with said hole in the casing and the leaf spring forces the stud through the registering holes and the stud serves to loch the jaws against niererncnt. They may however be unloc ed by anunloclring ineniber 16, which is shown in the forni or' a latch pivoted on the rod 7 and haring a ringer 17, which, when the latchis swung by a pull on the cable 18 engages the end ot the stud 12 as shown in Figure Q. The cable 18 extends upwardly through the top ot the casing and is provided with a handle 19 by which it may be manually operated.

A stop 2G is mounted on the jaw 5 and is in the forniv of an angle which reaches around behind the latch and liinits its backward inoveinent. Under norinal conditions, the arch will gravitate into engagement with the .stop 20', as shown in Figure 2, but when the cable is pullechV the latch is 'forced aga'list, the stud to unlocl the and perinit thein to be elevated. y

.ie trunnions 10 are shown in Figure Ll as lnied on the end of a pin 10 which eX- tends across the jaw 5 and thesel trunnions project Well beyond the erterior wall ol the "and are ad ated zo cooperate with li oli shaped llnlr 21 one o'r which is posfdfioned at each of the lateral :laces'ol the Y g. AThe lower end ot each linl: is pivotally` secured to o bell cranl r 22 and these bell cranks are piroted at their elbow on a rod 23 whichV is Afixed with respect to the casing, lhe free ends olf the bell cranksV are connected by a bridge piece which joins both bell cranks so that the;7 constitute col-V lecti-.rely a compound hell cranh lr prins 9,5 is connected' at one end ot the dge and at theother end of the casing and serves to normally dran" the compound bell cranl in- 4 'es 1 The parte" are so proportioned, horver-er. that When the aWsa-reraised. the linlrs 21- Will be drawn uplvardly by the -trunnions 1() for the *in-ione? purpose of moving the compound bell crank into 4the position shown in Figure 8.

llounted on the top of the casing in any suitable manner is a hopper or seed holder 26 in which a quantity of corn or other seed to be planted is contained. In the bottoni et this hopper Whiehmay, in practice, be the top Wall of the casing, is a hole or opening :2T and operable directly below this opening is a slide 28. rlhe slide, is in the torni ot a plate 29, the inner end of which is provided at its lateral edges with tivo turned down Wings 30. To these Wings is pivoted the upper end oi a. shitting bar 3l, which is curved longitudinally and extends dovvn- Wardly to lie between the inner face or the jan' 5 vand the pin p10@L as will be observed `lroni Fig res 2 and 3. Also pivoted betveen the Wings 30 is a tray 32 which normally gravitate's into the position shown in Figure If the slide is in'oved to the right in l`ig`uie 2, ride over a stationary platform 33, which is carried by the casing and which, through its engagen'ient ivith the bottoni of the tray7 will li'lt the tray into the horizontal posi.- tion shoivn in Figure 3. The platform 33 is slotted to accommodate the rod 31.

The plate 29 is provided with an opening adapted to be brought into registration With the opening 27 in order to allow the seed to fall through the registering` openings 27 and 31- into the tray 32, While a second plate 35 has a turned down end 3S adapted to be received betiveen the sides or the tray and Which vprecludes the seeds from 't lling on through and out'ot the open end of the tray. The plate is secured to the slide plate Q9 by ineens ot a screw 35 which worlrs through a slot in the plate 35 and threads into the plate 29. lli/Then this screw is loosened, the plate 35 inay be shifted longitudinally in order to control the amount oi" seed that can be fed through lne opening 3D1 into vthe tray and thus regulate the nuinber ot seeds delirered to the javfs at each operation. is shown in the drawings. the plates 29 and 35 project beyond the exterior of the casingand into a convenient position to peri-nit of this adjustment.

ln the normal position of the parte. as shown in Figure 2, the slide plate 2f) is held by a. spring 37 at a point whore the openings 34C `and 27 will be out ol registration. lli.'

however, the jaws are raised, the 1sin lll". sliding upwardly against the operat f 314`v ivill 'i3 e the upper end ot therofl Ward aga nst the tension o ,li if-. to pn-llfthe slide into a position rlherein the opening' ivill register `with the opening 2T and simultaneously nieve the t in a horizontal position so that seed 'will tall through the registering openings and lill the tray as shown in Figure 3. Il' new, the jaws are permitted to lower, the spring` 87 will act to move the slide to the left and in so doing will move the opening- 34; out of registration with the opening` 27 and simultaneously permit the tray to tilt and discharge the corn which it contains into the casing. Such corn will drop intov the coniinesof the jaws to be in a position ready .tor planting.

bristle brush 38 is pie'terably associated with the opening 27 to facilitate the feed of the seedand to preclude clogging or catchingr ot the seed between the slides.

The operation of the parts in the planting;` of seed by the apparatus which I have described is as Jfollows.

Having placed a quantity ot seed in the hopper, the operator straps the apparatus to his leg' and when he has arrived atthe point which he is to start seeding, he makes a step. lilith the parts in the position 'shown in Figures l and 2, the weight oit the body imparted through the stirrup to the casing is imposed directly upon the jaws which, while in a closed position, with the result that they are caused to enter `the ground to a depth about equal to the distance which they project below the bottom end of the casing. At the conclusion of the step, the operator pulls on the cable 1S and as a result ot the pulling of the cable, the latch functions to retract the stud and unlock the jaws, which are lifted by the cable so to leave a hole into which the corn drops. The compound bell Crank is simultaneously forced by the pull exerted through the links 2l against the surface of the ground with considerable power and causes the hole to lled up through pressure of the bridge lan 'piece upon the earth, thereby leaving the seeds covered and tamped.

lllhile this operation has been taking place, the tray has been shifted into a position to receive another charge ot seed.

it the conclusion of these operations, the operator releases the pull on the cable and takes another step. As soon as the leg; to whichthe device is strapped is raised, the spring' 25 urged the rods 21 downwardly and these rods in turn force the pin l() downwardly thereby returning the jaws to their lower position, whereupon the stud l2 l che them in place for the next operation. The lowering ot the jaws pern'iits the compound bell crank lever to move into retracted position while the tray 36 sinuiltaneously discharges another seeding ot corn into the jaws, so that by the time the next step is taken and the device again dropped into engagement with the ground, the operations described may be repeated e ln practice, it has been found that a tarmer may walk rapidly and seed atevery second step, i. e., that is to say, at every step at which the apparatus engages the ground,

jiilanting takes place and after a very short time, the operator may become so proficient in the timing of the pulling of theA cable that he does so without thinking and the operations oi.' seeding progress with much greater rapidity than has heretofore been possible under any ot' the well known methods ot hand. seeding.

lVhen it is desired that the operator be able to walk without seeding, the cable is pulled to unlock the jaws at the last seeding` step and to raise the jaws to the uppermost position. rl`he hook shaped link is there-- upon manually disengaged from the trun-V nions l() and the uppermost hook shaped portion 21 of each link manually engaged with a lug l at each side-otl the casing as shown best in Figure l. When this has been done, the trunnions 10 will be disconnected vtroni the spring,` 25 and the operator may hold the jaws in their uppermost position by means or the cable 18. All parts ol the seeder will thus be raised, so that'they will not engage with the ground as the operator walks. in this connection it may be stated that the jaws are held in upraised positions, so long' as the manual pull is exerted on the cable and that they will drop as soon as the cable is released.

in the preferred form ot' apparatus shown in the drawings, the seedis illustrated as contained in a hopper mounted on the top of the casing l, although, in practice, this hopper may be dispensed with and the seeds instead may be carried in a bag` or knapsack hangingl t'roni the shoulders of the operator and communicated to the valve at the top of the casing` by a hose, pipe or other suitable flexible conduit.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical "form, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims. y

Having thus -fully described the invention, what lrclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A seed planter embodying` a casing', nor nially closed planting aws pivoted'to one another aud in slidable telescoping' relation with respect to the casing and normally projectinp` below the casing` and intofa position to be forced into the ground to torni a hole, means `for normally locking the awe against movement with respect to the casing, and means, independent ot n'ioven'ient ot the rasing;- tor unlocking the jaws and thereupon retracting' and simultaneously opening` them Y to permit seed contained therein to he dcposited in the hole thus formed; f

2. A seed planter en'ibodyingr astirrup assoriated with the casing and adapted to be secured to the lop; oi an operator. pivoted jaws having telescopingv relationv to the casing normally projecting` below the cascasinp', a

ing and adapted to be forced into the ground by the weight ot the operator imposed on the stirrup, means lor retracting and simultaneously opening the jaws to permit seed contained therein to be deposited in the hole thus formed, and means 'for iilling said hole to cover the seed.

3. A seed planter embodying a casing, a stirrup associated with the casing and adapted to be secured to the leg ot an operator,

jaws pivoted to the casing and normally projecting below the casing a d adapted to be forced into the ground by the weight of the operator imposed on the stirrnp, means in` dependent ot' movement ot the casing for retracting and simultaneously opening the jawsY to permit seed contained therein to be deposited in the hole thus formed, and means operable when the jaws are retracted Jrom the hole, and after the seed is deposited therein, to lill the hole to cover the seed.

4:. A seed planter embodying a casing, a pair olcooperating planting jaws pivoted to the casing and mounted for sliding movement relative thereto to be moved into projected position below the lower end of the casing or into raised position within the casing, operative connections between the jaws and the casino' to pivotally move the jaws so that they are opened when they are raised and closedwhen they are loweredsaid jaws collectively constituting a ground opening wedge when in closed, lowered position, means for depositing seeds within the confines of the jaws while they are closed, and manually operable means actuated independently of movement ot the casing, for retracting the jaws to open Ythem and deposit the seed contained therein.

A. seed planter embodying a casing, a pair 01"' normally closed cooperating jaws mounted 'or pivotal movement on the casing and for sliding` movement with respect thereto, means for imparting pivotal movement to the when they are slidably moved Ylongitudinally slidable with respect thereto,

said jaws beingvadap'ted t extendjbelowrthe casing. and to be held lined -with respect thereto 'for insertion in the ground in closed position, means for introducing seed into the jaws whileA they are closed, means tor unlocking the jaws from the casing and ylor moving them longitudinally of the casing,

tnected to the awsjanid adapted to be moved and means lor opening the jaws upon longitudinal movement of the same tor releasing th-e seed.

7. A seed planter embodying a casing, pivoted jaws associated with the casing and longitudinally slidable with respect thereto, said jaws being adapted to extend below the casing and to be held fixed with respect thereto for insertion in the ground in closed position, means tor introducing seed into the jaws while they are closed7 means for unlocking the jaws from the casing and for moving them longitudinally of the casing, means tor opening the jaws upon longitudinal movement of the same for releasing the seed, and means for covering the seeds atter they have been deposited.

8. A seed planter embodying a casing provided in its opposite sides with slots, with certain juxtaposed slots vertical and other juxtaposed slots devia'ting from the vertical, a pair of jaws, a pivot for pivotally securing the jaws to one another and which pivot extends through two juxtaposed vertical slots in the casing, trunnions also associated with the jaws and extending through the other slots in the casing, whereby vertical move- CRy ment ot the jaws with respect to the casing will effect an opening and closing of the jaws, means for normally locking the aws 1n closed lowermost position to permit them to be thrust into earth, means for depositing seeds within the jaws, and manually operable means 'for unlocking the jaws and litting them to effect a simultaneousV opening ot the jaws and a depositing ot the seeds in the hole thus formed.

9. A seed planter embodying a casing provided in its opposite sides with slots, with certain juxtaposed slots vertical and other juxtaposed slots deviating from the vertical, a pair o jaws, a pivot tor pivotally securing the jaws to one another and which pivotextends through two Yjuxtaposed vertical slots in the casing, trunnions also associated with the jaws and extending through the other slots in the casing, whereby vertical movement ot the jaws wi threspect to the casing will effect an opening and closing oi' the jaws, means for normally locking the jaws in closed lowermost position to permit them to be thrust into earth, mea-ns for depositing seeds within the jaws, manually operable means for unlocking` the jaws and lifting Vthem to effect ay simultaneous opening of the jaws and a. depositing ot the seeds in the hole thusiormed, and a pivoted lmember,

pivo-te'd tothe casing and-operatively con-- thereby into a position to lill the hole after the seeds have been deposited. f

l In testimony7 whereeiC I have signed the foregoing specification.

winni-an separar.' 

